[mrunion]

I think there is a very good chance I will be spending some cash for a new Lightwave/Video machine and the LW upgrade. Since this is a hobby of mine, I'm not getting a top-end, $10,000 (USD) machine.

I found a good deal for around $1200 (P4 2.8 HT 800MHz FSB, 512MB 400MHz RAM, 80GB, excellent case with lots of room to grow -- 12 drive bays -- and 7 fans, Firewire, DVD, CD Burner, etc.). Anyway, I can afford the GeForce FX 5600 or the GeForce Ti4800 graphics card option.

Although the child in me really wants the FX 5900 I haven't got THAT much cash.

So...(whew!)....Which video card would be better for primarily LW work, video editing (church's weekly TV program and anything else I may get) and probably some heavy Halif-Life 2 when it comes out?

Thanks in advance for answering what HAS to be an annoying question!

[Johnny9ball]

I would get the one that supports direct x 9.0.

Ahh screw it get the 5900fx, sell your kids if you have to.

[mrunion]

He he he.

I can't sell the kids -- my wife is part owner and would get half the cash! That still wouldn't leave enough for the 5900!

It sounds like the 5600 may be the way to go so far.

[Johnny9ball]

I would get the 5600 becuse I dont beleave the 4800 supports DX9.0, and if you are looking foreward to Halflife you really want DX9.0 support because it will be a DX9.0 game. Also grab the one with 256 meg ram onboard, you can never have enough ram. Also if your gonna do video editing I would get something with Vivo and a video capture chip.

Gainward makes Great Cards by far with the most bang for your buck! They usually always include a video capture chip and Vivo and dual monitors.

http://www.gainward.com/

[Johnny9ball]

Check this one out its a BOMB! Best price for a 5600FX with all those juicy extras.

Gainward FX PowerPack! Ultra/780 GeForce FX5600 256MB 8x AGP Dual Monitors w/TV-OUT/DVI - Retail 143$

http://www.buyxtremegear.com/gain3.html

[mrunion]

Thanks! Here are the specs to the one I would be ordering:

Specifications
Mfr Part Number: 222561-343
GeForce FX5600
Graphics Core: 256-bit
Memory Interface: 128-bit
RAMDACs (MHz): 400
Bus: AGP 8X
Memory: 256 MB
325 MHz core
NVIDIA CineFX™ engine
NVIDIA Intellisample technology; NVIDIA nView multi-display technology
Connectors: TV-out & DVI

If "VIVO" means "Video In Video Out", then the card may not have the video in option (not sure, I gotta ask). I know the manufacturer part number is 222561-343, but I cannot locate this number on nVidia's site to verify that. I can find the P/N on pricewatch but the listings sometimes say VIVO and sometimes do not.

I'll hafta check this out.

Thanks for the info!

[Johnny9ball]

ViVo is "Video in Video out" You win!

[Cchristensen]

I believe the 5600 has had issues with it not performing as expected. Do some research on Tomshardware.com and anandtech.com before spending the money. I just put together a machine at work and decided on the Ti4800 for video. It performs well with Lightwave and was compatible with the Matrox video edit card. Also do some research on these cards ViVo quality. I remember reading an article on the quality of video cards ViVo and most were not all that great. Acceptable for low-end stuff only. The best video option is a separate video edit card but that will cost as much as your box and they can be pretty high-strung.

[mrunion]

Thanks! I did look at these reviews. I was somewhat disappointed in nVidia.

At risk of being stoned for saying this -- I really don't like ATI, nor does it appear from some of the LW forums around that an ATI card would be the best choice for LW.

Unfortunately I can only choose two manufacturers of cards for the machine I plan to purchase. When all the homework is done and the budget is calculated I have two choices (if I don't go with ATI): Get the cheapest card I can get with the system and save the cash until I get a GeForce FX 5900, or get the best card I can afford at the moment in the system (the 5600) and save longer for a better card.

I'm inclined to go with the second option.

Also, most of my video editing is done "poor-man-style". I run off the MiniDV tapes through firewire and store them on the hard drive. I then load up Ulead's Media Studio Pro and edit/title/cut/etc. I then render out a final program, pipe it back through firewire to a new MiniDV tape and send the tape to the studio for broadcast.

I'm doing all the work for my church at no cost to them, so I have to do things on a non-existant budget.

Thank you for the input and I will continue to ponder the situation. The good news is that when I can afford it, I can always get another card and put it in the system.

[mrunion]

On another note....

All my lightwave work (play?) is done on a Dell Inspiron 8100 w/a GeForce 2 Go 32MB card.

Surely -- no matter how perfomance didn't meet expectations -- the GeForece FX 5600 Ultra 256MB will outperform my laptop's video card, right? I hope so!

I love this little laptop, but the machine I speced should pretty much run circles around it without so much as breaking a sweat.

[Johnny9ball]

The issues they had with the 5600Fx wont affect your use of it in lightwave. I beleave the major complants were about it being a little to loud and haveing only 4 pixel pipelines (Instead of 8 like the 9800) and the aa not performing well in games. Was some minor points that they fixed in the 5900Fx series release but those small points wont affect any lightwave usage of it.

[Endorphin]

i have a 5600 with 128 mb and i'm happy...it works.
i'm sure there's always a better/faster card, but for me, it's a good card

[mrunion]

Cool! It looks like the 5600 is what I will get. I will continue to save/scratch/scrap/etc. for a "better" video card.

It sounds like I'm not "losing" with the card, so I'll opt for it with the machine.

[Johnny9ball]

No your not looseing anything. People complained about the 5600 series a little but they were really nitpicking over small details.

[Endorphin]

check how much the 5600 with 256 mb costs.....i was to late
when i saw it wasn't that much more....